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Missing Engine Cover ?

chillax

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Wi
Car(s)
18 GTI SE plaid
I'm not sure about new standard Golfs but the Jetta is sold without a cover.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
There are several non-noise, non - aesthetic reasons for the cover.

The covers are designed to improve/redirect airflow. While a quick look might say "it'll cool better without the cover", the opposite is often true.

It keeps the engine pay physically cleaner

It works in conjunction with the hood and hidden wipers to improve pedestrian safety. The reasons that the hood on modern cars hide the wipers (and require a "service" setting) is not because of aesthetics, but because that trailing edge of the hood may help someone survive an accident. The engine cover (along with the higher hood lines in general) works as an extra buffer between the pedestrian and the sharp solid bits on the engine.

To the OPs question - your car won't blow up without the cover, but I'd be looking around to see what else is missing or has been molested.
 

volks6

Go Kart Newbie
Location
TheGreekFreak's mom's bed
Car(s)
GTI
It works in conjunction with the hood and hidden wipers to improve pedestrian safety. The reasons that the hood on modern cars hide the wipers (and require a "service" setting) is not because of aesthetics, but because that trailing edge of the hood may help someone survive an accident. The engine cover (along with the higher hood lines in general) works as an extra buffer between the pedestrian and the sharp solid bits on the engine.


If the hood flexed that much that it would need the engine cover to prop it up it would flex at speed.
Keep reaching.
 

Subliminal

Autocross Champion
Location
Vegas
Car(s)
Slow FWD VW Hatch


If the hood flexed that much that it would need the engine cover to prop it up it would flex at speed.
Keep reaching.

"Today the vast majority of vehicles sold in the U.S. have braces supporting the hood that crush when they are impacted from above, such as by a person's head. In addition, a plastic engine cover serves to soften the impact, as does increased space between the hood and the cover.
https://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/protecting-pedestrians-through-vehicle-design.html
 
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cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
"Today the vast majority of vehicles sold in the U.S. have braces supporting the hood that crush when they are impacted from above, such as by a person's head. In addition, a plastic engine cover serves to soften the impact, as does increased space between the hood and the cover.
https://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/protecting-pedestrians-through-vehicle-design.html
There you go. Thanks BH760. That's also the reason that the front of cars are getting flatter and taller.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
Wow, interesting indeed, thanks for the educated info
There is very little a manufacturer does that doesn't have a safety reason.

On the Mk V for example, VW was accused of cost cutting because the US cars didn't have the little cubby to the left of the steering wheel, while cars in Europe had them. Those mean rotten bean counters.

Then, when somebody tried to retrofit the cubby they noticed a brace there. Turns out, in order to meet the US anti-submarining requirements, VW had to put a deformable aluminum piece there.

That, of course, cost more than leaving the ROW cubby there.
 

Judas

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Tempe az
There is very little a manufacturer does that doesn't have a safety reason.

On the Mk V for example, VW was accused of cost cutting because the US cars didn't have the little cubby to the left of the steering wheel, while cars in Europe had them. Those mean rotten bean counters.

Then, when somebody tried to retrofit the cubby they noticed a brace there. Turns out, in order to meet the US anti-submarining requirements, VW had to put a deformable aluminum piece there.

That, of course, cost more than leaving the ROW cubby there.
should i put my hood insulation back too?
edit not being a smart ass lol
 
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jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
should i put my hood insulation back too?
edit not being a smart ass lol

I sure the hell wouldn't since you're in Tempe. How much more heat do you want to keep in the engine compartment when it's 116* outside?
 
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